BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to galvanise the women wing of BJD ahead of 2019 elections to the State Assembly and Lok Sabha, party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday effected major changes by appointing former State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Minati Behera as the new president of Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD).
Behera was rewarded with the plum position hours after she stepped down from the post of State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. She replaced senior BJD leader and former minister Pramila Mallick.
On the other hand, Mallick representing Binjharpur Constituency in the Assembly has been elevated as vice-president of BJD and adviser of the BMJD. Besides, Jyoti Panigrahi and Kasturi Mohapatra were appointed as the co-advisors of BMJD. Lopamudra Buxipatra, who quit the post as the Chairperson of Odisha State Commission for Women on Sunday ahead of the completion of her three-year term this month, was given new assignment as the working president of the BMJD.
Shreemayee Sweta Snigdha Mishra, Sulochana Das and Gitarani Bastia were the other new working presidents of the women wing.Similarly, the BJD president appointed Sulata Deo as the general secretary and Elina Dash as secretary of the BMJD. Announcing the new appointment, BJD vice-president Debi Mishra said the existing State and district committees of the BMJD remained unchanged.